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The creative industries have long been romanticised as spaces where passion meets purpose, where collaboration flourishes, and where diverse voices are celebrated. Yet behind the warm words on glossy agency websites lies a darker reality that many know all too well, where bullying is rampant, systematic and often goes unchallenged. When Katy Cowan, founding editor at Creative Boom, shared her own experiences of workplace bullying on LinkedIn, the response was overwhelming. A worrying number of creatives have come forward with their stories, painting a picture of workplaces where toxic behaviour is normalised and victims are made to feel like the problem. The many faces of bullying This bullying rarely looks like the playground variety we might expect. Instead, it manifests in more insidious ways that can be difficult to identify. One anonymous respondent described their experience at a well-known creative studio. “At first, it was small things,” they recall. “Being singled out for rules that didn’t apply to others, and feedback that crossed the line into personal criticism. I tried to rationalise it. Perhaps they were stressed, or perhaps I was overthinking it. But over time, it escalated. “My work was pulled from client decks minutes before meetings, with no explanation. Ideas were praised privately, only to be dismantled publicly. The final straw came when a project that had been approved in a one-to-one meeting was torn apart in front of the team the very next day. I was humiliated, and it felt deliberate.” Another describes working at “a really nasty place” because of the founder. “He bullied 15 people out of an agency over time. My experience included being removed from projects, not being copied into emails, and being undermined by other staff. The awful thing? This guy still posts on LinkedIn, acting like he’s God’s gift to love and harmony.” For neurodivergent creatives, the challenges can be even more pronounced. One respondent, who has autism, ADHD and dyslexia, described over a decade of persistent cruelty. “I’ve been in the industry for 13 years now, and I’ve been bullied from the first day of my career until the present day,” they explain. “I get on well with project managers and account people; it’s largely been creative directors and other designers who have bullied me. I’ve walked into my workspace countless times to find people rummaging through my personal belongings and computer. People are explicitly open about their distaste for neurodivergent people. ‘Retards’, ‘sex predators’, ‘weirdos’, ‘neurotics’… the list goes on.” The power dynamic problem Agencies typically have hierarchical structures, which can create fertile ground for abuse. As creative consultant Dominic Livingston explains: “Being a freelancer, you get a unique perspective going into many different companies. Even in good working environments, these unfortunate situations can occur, as they’re frequently fast-paced, high-pressure and at times highly stressful. “This has also led to some uncomfortable conversations where I’ve been made to feel guilty for speaking up and calling out unacceptable behaviour,” he adds. “I’ve been told: ‘You’re just a freelancer’, which leads to a narrative that if no one else is speaking up about it, it must just be you.” The power imbalance between senior creatives and juniors means bullying often goes unchecked. Victoria Harris, now managing director at The Harris Group, recalls her own experience many years ago: “I worked for a PR company where I was consistently bullied by an older man who had daughters my age. I used to go home in tears.” Another respondent describes being told by their manager: “I could destroy you if I wanted.” Humiliation and gaslighting One respondent shares how their creative director collected up “minor faults” before orchestrating a public humiliation. “It was evident he was throwing me under the bus in order to appease company owners,” they recall. “He’d made up that I’d insulted the deceased father of the company owner, and all sorts. This is where things started. Since then, he found faults in all of my works, no matter what. I found out from a mutual connection he’d been fired from an agency previously after informal and formal complaints of bullying.” Another anonymous creative describes working at an agency where “the bullying was systemic from the top down: a real toxic hierarchy. The MD routinely made the designer and marketing coordinator cry and shouted at other employees for minor mistakes or personal matters. There was a lot of gaslighting. The senior staff’s advice to us was ‘keep out of the eye of Sauron’.” In short, the MD’s behaviour was so unpredictable that staff lived in fear. “She offset her outbursts and snarky comments by giving grand gifts at Christmas and playing nice, but at any moment, she could snap.” Financial and professional impact The consequences of such behaviour aren’t just awful for the victim, they can also adversely affect the company. One graphic designer shared how their success was punished rather than rewarded. “During my best year, the majority of the work that left the small studio I worked at was my own,” they explain. “We won several new clients that year off the back of my work, as some of it went viral and won some awards. One account I estimate was in the six figures. I was hoping to be rewarded in some capacity. I was, in fact, punished. I got taken off the better briefs that came through the studio, and found myself largely doing art-working for the following year.” This led to them deliberately underperforming to survive, a bit like how bright kids at school often pretend to be dumber to avoid abuse. “I have to be very careful about the work I present and often have to hold back my best work in order to survive,” they explain. “I have to take strategic dives so that the distribution of selected work is more even across the studio designers.” Perhaps most troubling is how frequently workplace bullying is mishandled when it’s reported. One anonymous contributor described confronting their manager after months of harassment: “There was

What does summer feel like? For Earl of East, it smells of zingy citronella, ripe cherries and sweet grapes — wrapped in golden-hour nostalgia, washed in sun-baked colours, and sealed with a ‘Vivi Ridi Amore’ attitude. The cult London-based fragrance brand has just launched Primavera Estate, a bold new candle collection inspired by a month-long road trip through Italy. But this isn’t just about scent. From art direction to packaging to campaign photography, every element of the collection was imagined, designed and produced in-house by the Earl of East creative team: a masterclass in graphic storytelling and modern brand building. “We were drawn to the boldness and optimism of 1970s and ’80s Italian design,” says Paul Firmin, co-founder of Earl of East. “Expressive type, sun-faded colours, and the kind of graphic energy you’d find on vintage matchbooks or tourist postcards. There’s a romanticism to that era that felt right for a collection which is all about memory and mood.” The three candles in the debut summer drop – Citronella, Ciliegia (Cherry), and Uva (Grape) – evoke the delicious chaos of Italian summer: long lunches that blur into dinner, late-night garden parties, and roadside fruit stalls bursting with colour. “Citronella is practical but also familiar. It’s the scent of evenings outside gathered around a table,” Firmin explains. “Cherry felt right for now, one that’s playful, a bit nostalgic, and definitely the scent of the season. Grape is deeper and more refined, bringing a bit of balance to the trio.” Visually, the collection marks a shift for the brand. Drenched in a palette of citrus yellow, sunburnt red, and deep wine purple, the packaging and merch borrow cues from nostalgic travel ephemera – bold, graphic and brimming with character. “We knew from the start that Primavera Estate had to feel totally different to Café, which was all about earthy tones and comfort,” says Firmin. “This collection is brighter, more expressive – it needed to reflect the heat, colour, and vibrancy of an Italian summer. The packaging is designed to evoke a feeling before you even light the candle.” One bold move? Stripping back the branding. “We removed the Earl of East name from the front of the candle,” Firmin says. “It felt like a big step, but it allowed the identity and world of Primavera Estate to stand completely on its own.” That confidence stems from a very real and personal creative journey. The collection was inspired by an actual month-long road trip across Italy, from the Alps through Lake Garda and Tuscany to Florence, taken by Firmin, his partner and co-founder Niko Dafkos, and their dog Piper. “Driving those winding roads lined with cypress trees had been on our list for years, and it didn’t disappoint,” Firmin recalls. “The food, the markets, the culture… Florence in particular shaped so much of this collection.” Those real-life experiences shaped every part of the creative brief. “We captured all of the road trip content ourselves – travel guides, recipes, audio, short videos,” he says. “Our team then used that raw content to build a layered visual world: from ingredient-led studio shots to campaign imagery, and even recreating Italian markets and delis in London to tie it all together.” Photography, shot by longtime collaborator Sarah Bates, reflects the mood and energy of the scents. “We wanted the images to feel warm, lush, and a little nostalgic – like a memory you’ve lived before, even if you haven’t,” says Firmin. “There’s a softness and glow to the whole series that mirrors the mood of the candles themselves. The energy of Primavera Estate is playful and expressive. It’s all about vivi, ridi, amore; living well, laughing often, and enjoying the moment.” For Earl of East, this collection is a love letter to Italy as well as a testament to the power of creative direction done with intention. Everything from scent notes to typefaces to the glow of a photo is there to transport you. “We wanted Primavera Estate to feel like a scent souvenir,” Firmin adds. “Something that brings a moment back to life as soon as you smell it.” The first drop is available now, with a second chapter arriving later this summer, leaning into richer, more savoury scents inspired by the Italian harvest. And with limited-edition merch to match (yes, there’s a tee), Primavera Estate is proof that scent can be a whole mood, not just something you burn quietly in the background. Read More

It was the natural next step. After photographing feline companions in Hong Kong and China, Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen turned his lens to the cat capital of the world: Istanbul. “I initially expected someone would’ve already done a photo book,” he says, “but there wasn’t one.” So began City Cats of Istanbul—a visual and poetic ode to a city where cats roam not as strays, but as deeply woven threads in its cultural fabric. With evocative haikus by long-time collaborator Ian Row, the book invites us to view the ancient metropolis through a feline lens. The result? A deeply affectionate portrait of place, people, and the mysterious creatures that bridge the two. From the outset, Heijnen was stunned by the number of cats in Istanbul. “You can’t walk for more than three minutes without seeing a cat. Or two. Or ten,” he says. But these aren’t strays in the traditional sense. Istanbul’s cats have a unique life—independent yet beloved, untamed yet universally cared for. “They’re hybrids,” Heijnen explains. “Not really ‘owned’ by anyone, but loved as if they were.” His photography captures this strange, in-between existence, whether it’s a calico basking on the steps of a mosque, a tabby surveying a spice market, or a shop cat napping beneath Ottoman tiles. “They roam freely between sacred and mundane spaces,” he adds. “To me, they’re living symbols of Istanbul’s soul.” Instead of chasing the perfect shot, though, Heijnen allowed the cats to take the lead. “You have to be fast and patient,” he explains. “Capture the moment, then hang back and see what unfolds.” Whether it’s a local chef slipping a bite to a nearby cat or a woman at the railway station offering a gentle pat, Heijnen looked for those quiet, affectionate interactions that might seem mundane but speak volumes. One cat in particular captured his heart – Madame Caki, a feline who lives in a mosque and now graces the book’s cover. “She’s probably the one I spent the most time with,” he recalls. “Super friendly to visitors. I’d spend hours with her.” As with his earlier books, City Cats of Istanbul strikes a balance between subject and setting with care: “It’s not just about the cat,” he says. “It’s about the city’s DNA.” Early sections highlight human-cat interactions, the middle focuses on portraits of the animals themselves, and the final chapter zooms out to show cats blending into Istanbul’s layered backdrop. His favourite neighbourhoods for shooting? The colourful streets of Balat, the heritage-rich Sultanahmet, and the trendy vibes of Kadıköy. “Each area gave me something different. Together, they tell the full story.” Cats have walked Istanbul’s streets for centuries—welcomed for pest control, protected by Ottoman society, and revered in Islamic teachings. Heijnen was acutely aware of this legacy. “The awareness made me look for moments of care between people and cats,” he says. In one striking image, Madame Caki sits beneath Arabic script meaning ‘God’—a scene rich in symbolism and humour, particularly from the feline perspective. Modern Istanbul continues this legacy. Animal protection laws are in place, and even controversial proposals to remove stray animals have been rolled back in response to public affection, especially for cats. Alongside Heijnen’s photographs are Ian Row’s haikus and musings. “Ian has this incredible ability to peer into a cat’s mind,” Heijnen says. “His haiku acts like a prism—you see the photo, read the haiku, and then return to the image with fresh eyes.” The duo has collaborated on all three books in the series, establishing a rhythm that has become a hallmark of their storytelling. So, what does Heijnen hope readers take from City Cats of Istanbul? “That cities aren’t just for people,” he says. “That truly symbiotic relationships with animals can thrive. Istanbul really champions this notion.” As for what’s next? “I’d love to do more,” he smiles. Until then, City Cats of Istanbul gives us an endearing take on a city where cats are companions, neighbours, and cultural icons. And as Heijnen encourages on the book’s final page—pause, slow down, and say: Hello, Kedi. Read More

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday suggested a review of the Federal Reserve that would go beyond the current controversy over building renovations and look at its overall function. “What we need to do is examine the entire Federal Reserve institution and whether they have been successful,” Bessent said during an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “Has the organization succeeded in its mission? If this were the [Federal Aviation Administration] and we were having this many mistakes, we would go back and look at why has this happened.” The comments come amid an intensifying conflict between the White House and the central bank. It was not clear what form a review would take or who would perform it. Last week saw conflicting reports over whether President Donald Trump was preparing to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Reports from the White House indicated a move was forthcoming, but Trump soon after denied he is readying what would be a legally questionable maneuver. Bessent has been at the center of the controversy, both as a potential successor at the Fed as well as reports pointing to the Treasury chief as a mediator looking to discourage Trump from ousting Powell. “President Trump solicits a whole range of opinions and then makes a decision,” Bessent said when asked about a Wall Street Journal report that he had helped convince Trump to stay his hand on Powell. “So he takes a lot of inputs, and at the end of the day it’s his decision.” Trump has demanded the Fed dramatically lower its benchmark overnight borrowing rate, something that appears unlikely regardless of the chair. In addition, the administration in recent days has criticized the Fed for cost overruns at the $2.5 billion renovation it has undertaken for two of its buildings in Washington. Administration officials reportedly are planning soon to view the project in person. On the question of interest rates, Bessent backed the idea that the Fed probably should be easing with inflation mostly moderating. “They were fear mongering over tariffs, and thus far we have seen very little, if any, inflation,” Bessent said. “We’ve had great inflation numbers. So, you know, I think this idea [is] of them not being able to break out of a certain mindset. All these Ph.D.s over there, I don’t know what they do.” The Fed last cut rates in December, which completed a brief easing cycle that brought the fed funds rate down a full percentage point. However, as the Fed eased both mortgage rates and Treasury yields moved higher. Market pricing indicates the Fed probably will cut again in September. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Read More